California grocery workers accept deal, averting strike

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A strike by tens of thousands of central and southern California grocery employees was averted Monday after the workers’ union reached a tentative deal with several major supermarket chains. The union says the new three-year contract includes higher wages, stronger health benefits, guaranteed hours for part-time workers, improved store safety and a secured pension. Exact details won’t be released until its members vote on the deal starting this week. About 47,000 workers at hundreds of Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores voted last week to authorize a strike if an agreement wasn’t reached.